CHICAGO BLUES

After defeating the small band of bandits in the wilderness the players should have no real difficulty getting to Chicago. However the area is well patrolled by the Coalition meaning not much gets past there all seeing eye. After a short trip they will reach the city limits, before they know what’s going on the Coalition forces will surround them and they will be apprehended. The Players should be encouraged to surrender and not fight as it will be a hopeless one if they do.

The commander of the outpost would normally imprison the players for trespassing on the old city but this time is different. He has been having trouble with a new demon which appeared a few nights back, this large creature has managed to escape capture and death on a number of occasions by teleporting out of harms way. To make matters worse it seems to have allied itself with a small cult of D-Bee’s and witches in a northern part of the city. The commander has no idea what the demon is (he hardly cares and simply has orders to kill it), or that the demon has allied itself with the cult in order to perform a ritual to open a new rift back to his time (for reinforcements). The commander will let the players go if they help him out of the situation, track the demon down and kill it. The players will need to track the demons last movements, the coalition will provide them with some pre-rifts maps and stay within radio contact.

The cult is in the process of capturing other intelligence life forms living in the city limits (D-Bees mainly) and bringing them back to there hideout. Once enough of them have been gathered they will perform a ritual, killing those captured to release there P.P.E., the players will be on hand to stop one of these raids. Hopefully they will capture one of the cultists alive and interrogate him for the location of the hideout (Next adventure: The Cultist have setup base in one of the many underground tunnels (metro lines), they are there with the demon gathering forces and preparing for the time when the rift can be opened.).

Getting to Old Chicago will be the easy part, once there the real problems will begin. How the players going to actually get into the city? Here the players will experience a city devastated by the coming of the Rifts one of the last few places to hold out before the dark ages began. They might find a few items worthy of trade (pre-rifts artefacts). But it won’t be long before they are surrounded by a group of coalition soldiers.

The suburbs of Old Chicago, are mainly family homes (thousands of them), most have been destroyed by fires, flooding as well as the encroachment of vegetation and wild life. Anything worth looting has either been destroyed with the passing of time or by looters over the past 300 years+. Also as this was the last place NEMA made there stand against the hordes of demons it has seen even more devastation that would normally be expected from a city of this size.

It will take the players 1 day to reach this point (from there encounter with the Bandits). Large vehicles will need to travel by road, of which there are many, most are in a terrible state of disrepair and over grown with vegetation but still passable. The players will need to spend another day travelling to the city itself past the various suburbs. As they grow closer to the city they will see numerous signs warning trespassers away and the penalty for not heeding the notices.

If the players wish they can try and see what they can scavenge around for items doing this however will take them hours and only yield them a small amount of tradable items (1D6x10 credits or artefacts for every 2 hours of searching, have the skills necessary to fix certain items can yield a bit more 1D6x10 extra credits per skill check on an item e.g. a toaster or microwave which needs fixing etc).

On the evening of the second day the players will rest in one of the many abandoned homes in the suburbs of Old Chicago. While resting players will hear the faint sound of crying coming from the basement/cellar, if they decide to investigate these sounds they will find nothing other than a looted and rotting sub section of the building. Physic players or those with sensitive hearing etc, will hear the crying again however this time much louder (still faint however and the sounds are those of a child) coming from what seems to be behind a wall in the basement area. Players may wish to break the wall down and see if they can help the poor trapped soul (clever players can try and locate a secret door, success will revel a secret lever leading to a camouflaged panic room, the lever works but the door is rusted shut). Once the door is open or the wall breached the players will be in a small 8ft by 10ft room (Panic Room), there is a small now rusted and water logged radio as well as a number of personal affects (those of a child, teddy bear, colouring books etc), and enough supplies to keep someone alive for many months (although only a few have been used, the rest are rotten, includes toilet and washing facilities but no running water). As the players search this room (should not take them long), they will find the skeletal remains of a small girl clutching a furry toy, a few skill rolls/powers should indicate she died very young of a broken malnutrition and a broken heart. Just then the players we see a haunting entity in the form of the girl running towards them (disappearing before it reaches there location) she will be giggling and laughing. Those players with physic or magic links will also receive an additional scene…

A mother and father in the house before the great cataclysm enjoying time with there daughter (they will speak English and the child’s name is Becky) in what seems like the back garden. A quick flash later they are in the cellar, Becky is in her mothers she quickly tells her daughter that they are playing a game (the sounds of gunfire can be heard upstairs as well as the sounds of a struggle, a loud pitched growl and the heavy voice of what could easily be a demon). She tells Becky she must hide in the downstairs safe room until daddy and mummy come get her, before Becky can answer she is ushered into the room and the door closed. The lights flicker the sound of heavy breathing and growls followed by that of a woman’s scream, the vision ends.

After witnessing this event the players can simply leave the haunting entity to roam the house like it has done for hundred years, or they can try and help is escape its cycle. However they achieve this is up to the players, but events which will trigger the entity to leave are…

Finding the remains of the mother and father. The mother is located in the cellar in the opposite corner of the panic room her bones show signs of teeth marks (demon ate her). The father is located upstairs in one of the bedrooms (he attempted to lead the demons away from the mother and child allowing Becky to get away safely). Gathering the remains of both parents and performing the correct religious rights (as they were taken by evil creatures), will garner the players the following ending. The house will be filled by a warm intense light and both parents as they were in the previous scene will run over to join Becky, all will wave at the players thanking them for there help and disappear. A locket and chain will then drop from the now where into one of the players hands, players will get a sense this is a magical item but its purpose seems a mystery at the moment.

Taking the remains of the child and performing the correct rights will garner the same image as above but the players will not receive the locket.

If the players attempt to steal anything from the house either after or before helping three haunting entities will attack with a vengeance (those of the family). They will try to force the players out into the hands of the waiting CS soldiers.

As the players leave the house (day or night) they will be surrounded by CS troops (those with sixth sense will get a bad feeling but may link this to another entity). They have been monitoring the players since they entered the city a few days ago and have decided to capture these trespassers and see what they are up to. Numbers here should be unimportant players should simply be overwhelmed by a large unit of soldiers (Robots, Spider Walkers, Cyborgs and other such troops will quickly surround the camp all guns pointing and ready to fire). The GM is encouraged to advise the players to surrender if they want to survive this encounter, fighting may allow one or two of there group to escape but the majority will be gunned down by the CS.

Here the players will meet some notable Coalition forces, get a better understanding of how they fight there day to day battle with the demons and monsters of the old city. They will also get the jaded view of how the CS tries to achieve these same goals.

The CS soldiers will disarm the players and place restraints on there arms, hands and legs (they will also mute magic uses and cover there heads with bags). Players should be encouraged not to try and escape yet as the CS soldiers seem eager to shoot them for any slight, easier opportunities may present themselves later.

The Players will be escorted the rest of the way to one of the many CS outposts around Old Chicago. This facility has been hear a while and the players should get the sense many of the soldiers are veterans with many years of fighting demons and magic users under there belts. These guys are not raw recruits and know what there doing, they will eye the players up and give them the occasional grin or sly wink.

As the players enter the CS camp under guard they will witness a line of four D-Bees in front of a bullet and blood ridden wall, before they know what’s happened the sound of high calibre machine gun fire will be heard and the four D-Bee creatures will fall to the ground dead (creating a sense of doom for the players).

The camp is patrolled by numerous heavy robots (Spider Walkers, Enforcers) and numerous SAMAS and Sky-cycles swoop over head. Other than the M.D.C wall surrounding the base most of the other buildings seem to be Pre-Rifts structures converted to suit new needs (Barracks, watch towers, prisons etc). After a short while the players will be brought to what seems to be the HQ where they be made to stand while what seems to be the CS commander discusses some tactics with junior officers over a map of Old Chicago. After a suitable time has passed the junior officers will be dismissed and the commander will pour himself a drink while he eyes up the players. He seems a tall gruff commander not like the typical CS elite but more one who has earned his rank over several years of hard service and loyalty to the emperor.

“Its seems you have been caught on private property, are you unable to understand the warnings issued by the various signs surrounding this city?”

He will wait for the players to answer, if they come up with some other reason that the real one he will continue seemingly uninterested, if they explain they are tracking a large demon bend on the destruction of the world he will smile and explain that the players and he may have a common enemy and goal.

“A few nights back a patrol picked up a fairly large signal approaching the southern sector of the city. They engaged the target and reported a number of successful strikes, before they could confirm the creatures demise however is seemingly teleported out of harms way. A few hours later a foot patrol spotted the same demon heading directly for the city centre, the lieutenant on duty at the time rightly ordered an ambush set up directly in the creatures path. Unsurprisingly the demon in its arrogance walked directly into it, the area was pounded by heavy rail gun and missile fire and the grunts reported the creature was severely weakened showing signs of serious injury. Once again just as the killing blow was about to be struck the creature seemingly teleported out of harms way. Long range scanners picked it up 20 miles away in the northern part of the city, a patrol was dispatched but like many such demons and supernatural monsters it faded away into the night. I have tried several times to track this demon down which I believe may well pose a serious threat to the CS but have been unsuccessful, this is where I believe you may come in useful.

In exchange for your lives and freedom I suggest you track down this demon and either eliminate it or find some way of keeping it imprisoned long enough for my men to finish the job. I will allow you access into the city to perform this mission, as well as some maps and details of the city itself, a Walkie-Talkie in order to communicate with me and what tactical information we have on the monster. In exchange I will class you allies and re-deem any warrants or bounties currently on your heads, do you accept?”

Obviously the players should accept, the choice is either death, or a chance to finish what they were doing unmolested by the CS, easy decision to make. If they accept they will be escorted to the outpost limit’s handed back there equipment, a Walkie-Talkie, and some maps of Old Chicago. One of the junior officers will explain the demon was last sighted (north Chicago), he will also indicate the location of a known D-Bee settlement near what was once Garfield Park, both are good starting points for there search. With that the outpost doors will be closed and the players allowed to carry on with there adventure.

The commander of the outpost should normally just execute the players (especially D-Bees, Juicers, magic users etc), but he has recently received a request for half his troop compliment to be transferred to the border with Tolkeen (some big offensive being planned). His numbers will be replenished in time but these will be raw recruits (not the men and women he has spent years training), as such he is a little upset and isn’t about to start risking his men looking for a large demon running around such a huge city. The Players have arrived just at the right time when he was feeling generous, an item of each players equipment has been bugged and he will monitor them as they progress through the city. If they leave without dispatching the demon he will simply have them killed, but if they do kill the demon it will save him the effort, an easy compromise.

Here the players will come across a small settlement of D-Bees known to the coalition and regularly used as bait for demons and other foul creatures. As the players meet the locals and establish some friendships a group of cultists will attack hell-bent on acquiring prisoners for the soon to be planned ritual.

The Players will head towards a known D-Bee settlement (pointed out by the CS), the Coalition will explain they have allowed this settlement to remain as it provides good bait for the various demons and other supernatural forces in the area. Whenever a demon comes out of hiding to nap one of the inhabitants the CS track it down to its nest and eradicate it and any others of its kind. They have similar settlements dotted across the middle and south of Chicago. The one closest to the sightings of this large demon can be found to the north of the city, near what was once Garfield Park. The settlement itself is based in a number of larger buildings (skyscrapers), the park itself is used by the D-Bee’s to grow small amounts of fruit and vegetables for the winter months.

The Settlement of Last Hope:

Last Hope was built by a few survivors of the CS purge of Old Chicago, all the villagers have rifted to earth (none were born here) at some point since its creation and over time it has grown into a nearly sustainable settlement. Initially under the constant attack of demons and cultists the village was close to being wiped out (even with the constant influx of refuges from the rifts), luckily for them the CS took an interest. Even though the Coalition take no part in defending the settlement many demons and other supernatural creatures have learnt that attacking the settlement generally results in being ambushed later by CS forces.

It is an easy going & passive settlement who tend to take everything in their stride and look for the path of least resistance. This means they tend to deal with anybody and bow and scrape to those stronger and more frightening than they. This also means they tend to have no strong loyalties and will sell out others to save their own necks. Accepting of most other races, D-Bees, aliens and many other creatures, accepted as equals. They would never consider enslaving any being or treat any intelligent life forms, other than demons. Roughly 9 different races (Eandroth, Dwarves, Psi-Stalkers, Quick Flex Aliens, Vanguard Brawlers, Fennodi, Fairies (Brownies and Nymph), Centaur and Emirin) make up majority of the population no one dominating. In addition there are many strange, exotic, monstrous, magical and alien creatures and even some friendly monster races and supernatural beings.

The town itself is a small shanty town, a small struggling community of 110 souls, which lacks the resources needed to barely survive and grow. The community has one midwife (Holistic Medicine +5%), a paramedic, no doctor, and a few first-aid kits with basic supplies. Serious illness, injury, or surgery is way beyond their ability. The village has a horse, a few sail and rowboats nearby for fishing, that’s all. No machine driven vehicles and the only fuel is used for heating and lamp oil. Comparatively modern buildings made from a mix of materials, at least 10% made from M.D.C materials (200 M.D.C), possibly restored pre-Rifts structures. There is also a large utility buildings, fences and a defensive walls, as well as an underground M.D.C shelters.

In times of defence the community can only muster a collection of clubs, makeshift spears, pitchforks, shovels and a few bows. One in ten may posses and S.D. firearm (11) with a few hundred rounds shared between them, 2 grenades and maybe one light M.D. weapon. The town has a group of volunteer defenders to take up arms in times of trouble. Furthermore 50% (55) of the citizens will join the fight to protect their town, and most will fight to defend their homes and loved ones. A typical militia is rarely larger than 10% (11) of the population, the people have appointed one person to be a security officer or constable (Eandroth mercenary).

Growing crops is difficult and yield is usually minimal, but it is enough to survive. Timber and other resources are either scarce or poor quality The community must either supplement by hunting, fishing and trading or make large cutbacks to its way of life. Being situated in the heart of Old Chicago means the settlement is under the constant sway of ley line storms, rifts, monsters and even the CS (a war zone). The community is located in a volatile and hostile environment. They are constantly in a state of chaos forever being threatened abused and ravaged by all kinds of threats, be it monsters, demons, bandits, raiders, roving gangs, storms, tornados, floods, earthquakes, wild animals or the CS.

The town is run by a democratic structure with a governing body that shares the duties or running the affairs of the settlement. Social order, law, justice and sense of unity are clear an strong. Citizens understand their place in the community and most work together like the parts of a well oiled machine. Most village folk are Principled(Good) and Scrupulous (Good). Although the occasional item, service or bit of information may be sold or traded to passing traveller or neighbour, there is no formal or organized trade operation. This community can barely support themselves or so isolated they rarely have any visitors. The town has a number of professionals a Dwarf Carpenter (Fortifications specialist and Builder), a Psi-Stalker Ranger, Wilderness Scout, and a Centaur Woodsman, Trapper. Most of the town are hard workers, uneducated and only a few skilled professionals, 15% (16) have training in one area or trade, 5% (6) are literate. Power is derived from a combination of windmills, solar, methane-run generators (fuelled by waste of livestock), batteries, and other fuel powered generators and machines. May also have a few high-tech nuclear batteries and power packs (possibly pre-rifts artefacts or big city creations).

Magic is accepted, as being real and ley lines are known to be places or magic, spirits and supernatural monsters. One or two more educated people in the town know a few basic truths about magic as well as a thing or two about supernatural creatures (vampires, demons etc). Spell casters and magical beings are viewed with a certain amount of mystery, awe and fear best to be avoided.

A few nights in the settlement will be attacked by a group of cultists and there demon kin. The D-Bee’s will quickly spring into action to defend themselves and there families, the players are encouraged to help.

The settlement will be filled with the sounds of screams and shouts as a horde of demons come charging into through the “town”. Although the settlement has made makeshift walls these will easily be bypassed by the more powerful and faster demons, the cultists will follow suit using makeshift ladders and other such devices. A hand full of the “towns” folk have weapons but nothing as powerful as M.D. weapons (only S.D. knives, makeshift swords and spears, hatchets etc. Some of them may well have a few firearms and a few rounds of ammunition). The players can either attempt to fight the demons as they come and leave the settlers to fend itself or try and co-ordinate there efforts with the town’s defenders allowing a much better defence. More evil aligned characters may even forfeit defending the settlement altogether and use the CS tactic of tracking the attackers back to there hideout.

If the players choose to co-ordinate there plans with the towns folk far fewer people will be captured by the raiders and more of the attackers will be slain. The GM should encourage the players to try and catch one of the assailants alive, if they fail to do this the towns people will capture one for interrogation (next part of the campaign).

Battle Plan: The demons and cultists will attack in mass at the settlement gates, 1xWerebeast and 2xDar’ota will leap or climb over the walls and create a diversion while 1xBoschala will pond at the settlement makeshift gates. If the players can quickly dispatch the initial assault the towns folk will be better prepared for when the next wave arrive. Once breached the Boschala will lead the attack followed by large numbers raiders (10xBumble Balls and 25x Cultists), the main aim of the Boschala and cultist will be to keep the towns defenders occupied while the Bumble Balls quickly capture any women, child or elderly D-Bee not under the protection of the towns folk and players. If the Boschala is defeated the cultist will quickly flee the scene followed by the Bumble Balls.

Information Gathering: Although the cultist will be easier to capture they will be extremely fanatically about there leader and force will have to be used to extract the right information (remember player alignments). The Bumble Balls however will quickly reveal the location of the cultists secret hideout if it means they can save there skin. Another alternative would be the players follow the survivors of the attack back to there hide out (skill rolls prowl etc needed).

Ter-Gash Val-Da-Norm is an Eandroth, he and his people could be classed as some of the few who actually chose to travel to Rifts Earth. On his world (Palldium Fantasy) he and his people fought a year long war with a mountain clan of Orks, Golbins and Trolls. Although the battle was fought to a stale mate the arrival of a dragon on the Orks side tipped the balance easily in the favour of the green skins. Those of his people who were not killed during the attack were enslaved and escorted back to the Ork strong hold. On the way a Rift opened and Ter-Gash saw his chance to escape with a number of his people, a number of Orks and Goblins followed him through the Rift before it closed and all were trapped in Old Chicago. The Orks and Goblins quickly recaptured Ter-Gash and his people and attempted to escape Old Chicago, luckily for the Eandroth Dor-gain and Mal-Kiss came across the Ork convoy and after a brief struggle they freed him and his people. Since that time Ter-Gash has been a valued member of the village working hard to protect it from the various monsters and demons which inhabit the city. Along the way Ter-Gash has acquired an S.D. hunting rifle and medium calibre handgun, many in the village turn to him to handle day to day security and resolve internal squabbling.